THE SAID FOUNDATION
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE
SCHOLARSHIPS
Guidance Notes for applicants to Oxford and Cambridge
These Guidance Notes are intended to answer your questions about the
Foundation and its scholarship criteria.
The Said Foundation offers a number of full-cost scholarships annually to
enable graduates to pursue postgraduate courses at Oxford and Cambridge
universities.
Scholarship criteria for the academic year 2015/16
As the Foundation’s funds are limited and it receives many applications for
scholarships each year, the Board of Trustees sets criteria and priorities for
applicants. All applicants must meet these criteria. For the academic year
2015/16, the Foundation’s criteria are as follows:
 Applications are restricted to candidates who are Syrian, Lebanese,
Jordanian or Palestinian nationals ordinarily resident in Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine or Israel;
Scholarships are offered for postgraduate study only. Applications for
undergraduate study cannot be considered;
Evidence of proficiency in English is required by the Foundation and
must be at the level required by Oxford or Cambridge;
Applicants must hold a first degree of a high enough standard to
indicate that they are likely to complete their proposed course of
study at Oxford or Cambridge successfully;
Applicants cannot be considered if they have not followed the proper
application procedures for Oxford or Cambridge and completed the
Foundation’s online scholarship application form;
Successful applicants are required to sign a binding undertaking to
apply the skills and knowledge they have gained in one of the
Foundation's target countries (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine)
on completion of their course;
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Applicants are required to demonstrate that they have the potential
to be leaders in their field.
Applying to the Foundation
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit. Applications are carefully
considered by the trustees and staff of the Foundation and external assessors.
The Foundation bases its decisions on the candidate’s academic excellence, the
usefulness of the subject to the applicant’s country, the applicant’s leadership
potential, future career intentions and their practical ability to make use of the
knowledge to be gained in the UK on their return to the Middle East.
The Application Procedure
Further details on application procedures for Oxford and Cambridge are found
below.
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees makes the final selection by mid-April. The
Trustees’ decision is final and there is no right of appeal. Please do not use your
contacts to lobby for your scholarship application. This will not help, and may
harm, your application. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we regret
that we are unable to contact unsuccessful applicants individually or provide
feedback on applications.
After submission of your postgraduate course admission application by the
required deadline your application is considered by the university.
After submission of the Foundation’s online scholarship application form by the
required deadline (12 December 2014), your application is considered by the
Foundation.
The Foundation interviews shortlisted candidates in February/March in Lebanon,
Jordan and Palestine. Shortlisted Syrian applicants may be asked to travel to
Lebanon for an interview. In exceptional circumstances, candidates may be
interviewed by Skype.
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APPLYING TO OXFORD
For detailed information about Oxford’s application deadlines, supporting
materials, and full guidance for completing and submitting the application
form, please see Oxford’s Application Guide. Information regarding the
admissions process may be repeated on other web pages; however, please
note that in case of any discrepancies this Application Guide is the correct
and accurate version.
For detailed information about how to apply to the scholarship, including deadline
dates and eligibility restrictions, please refer to the Said Foundation Oxford
Scholarships web profile page.
Information regarding 2015-16 admissions will be available on Oxford’s web
pages from September 2014. Information available prior to September 2014
is a guide to entry in 2014-15 and should not be used for applications for
admission in subsequent years.
APPLYING TO CAMBRIDGE
How and when to apply
Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate admission to the University of
Cambridge and for funding offered by the Cambridge Trust (including the Said
Foundation Cambridge Scholarships) for entry in October 2015 must complete and
submit the 'GRADSAF' application form to the University’s Graduate Admissions
office no later than 2 December 2014 (or the course deadline, whichever is
earlier). Applications open on 1 September 2014.
By submitting one GRADSAF form per course applied for, candidates will be
considered for:



admission to a course of graduate study or research by the University of
Cambridge
admission to a College by one or more of the Cambridge Colleges
funding offered by the Cambridge Trust (including the Said Foundation
Cambridge Scholarships)
Candidates
may
apply
online
using
the
web
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/gradadmissions/prospec/apply/
application fee for study in 2015/16 is £50.
link
.
Applications may also be made on paper, using the application form that can
be downloaded from
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/gradadmissions/prospec/apply/paper/.
The fee for paper application is £100.
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at
The
You should also ensure that you have completed the Said Foundation’s online
scholarship application form (https://saidfoundation.fullfabric.com/signup)
Qualifications needed
You must have completed your first degree with at least upper second class
honours or the equivalent and you must provide documentary evidence of this.
You must also meet any other entry requirements for particular courses set by the
University.
English Language
Candidates who are not native speakers of English are required by the Graduate
Admissions office to provide the results of an English language test and to meet
the minimum standard of proficiency required for admission to Cambridge,
Full details can be found at
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/gradadmissions/prospec/studying/entr
yreq/
You are strongly advised to study the course and its entry requirements
closely, and to choose a course that is suited to your qualifications and aims
University of Cambridge, Churchill College scholarship for Palestinians
Churchill College, Cambridge, in partnership with the Said Foundation and the
Cambridge Trust, has established a scholarship for Palestinian students
wishing to pursue a one year post-graduate course at the University of
Cambridge. The aim is to develop an individual's expertise so that they will
work to improve future governance and economic development in Palestine.
To be eligible for this scholarship, candidates must reside in the West Bank,
Gaza or East Jerusalem. Palestinian candidates who meet Churchill College
and the Said Foundation’s eligibility criteria are advised to apply for this
scholarship. More information and details on how to apply can be found at
https://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/study-us/postgraduates/financial-support/
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